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3232DST Talks “Star Trek: Discovery” Toys, Plus Trek On Vinyl, Tikis And More New Merchhttps://trekmovie.com/2017/03/12/dst-talks-star-trek-discovery-toys-plus-trek-on-vinyl-tikis-and-more-new-merch/
https://trekmovie.com/2017/03/12/dst-talks-star-trek-discovery-toys-plus-trek-on-vinyl-tikis-and-more-new-merch/#commentsMon, 13 Mar 2017 00:18:21 +0000https://trekmovie.com/?p=46426Time to catch up on the latest in Star Trek merchandise including a beautiful new 2-album set for Star Trek: The Motion Picture on vinyl, some interesting Trek tiki mugs, an update from Diamond Select on the possibility of Star Trek: Discovery toys and more, including the latest bargains for Trek stuff.

Diamond Select Toys posted another Art Asylum blog update this week and it covered some questions about upcoming Star Trek products. Regarding the possibility of new toys for Star Trek: Discovery, DST’s Chuck revealed nothing is happening yet, but they are considering it:

We have ongoing talks with CBS about Trek all the time – we’re known to be persistent, so you never know. As more is known about Discovery, I think those talks can begin as well.

One product Trek toys fans have been patiently waiting for is DST’s Star Trek: The Next Generation Electronic Phaser role-play toy. It was first revealed at New York Toy Fair two years ago, but still has no specific release date. Last week TrekMovie reported that DST told us the toy was still being finalized at the factory. On their blog this week they provided some more details, saying:

We have not actively [set a date and price for] that item yet, but once you see it in [the Previews catalog] we will be confident in its ship date. An electronic issue we did not expect cropped up late in the development cycle.

Diamond Select Star Trek: TNG Phaser toy shown at Toy Fair in 2015

Chuck also revealed that DST “have not planned our role play items beyond the TNG phaser.” He also noted that it is “unlikely” they will re-issue their Star Trek: Enterprise Phase Pistol and Communicator set, and it is unlikely their next Star Trek vehicle ship toy will be the USS Voyager.

The fine folks at La-La Land records are issuing a new limited release two-record set of Jerry Goldsmith’s Star Trek: The Motion Picture soundtrack on vinyl. This is the vinyl version of the 3-CD set issued in 2012.

New La-La Land Vinyl Set of Star Trek: The Motion Picture soundtrack – original album jacket art by Daren R. Dochterman

Available in a gatefold double LP set, the music has been mixed and mastered by Bruce Botnick, who produced the release with Mike Matessino. The records in the set are 180 Gram colored vinyl and comes with a 12-page insert featuring cover art by Bob Peak.

Beeline Creative, the makers of geek-themed tiki mugs from franchises like Marvel and Star Wars, announced this week they are going to the final frontier. Beeline’s “Geeki Tikis” are made to “combine some of Trek’s most-beloved characters with the unique stylization seen in traditional tiki culture.”

Star Trek gets tiki treatment

This summer they’ll be rolling out a line of Star Trek Collectible Tiki Mugs which will include Kirk, Spock, Dr. McCoy, the Mugato, a Klingon and a Gorn. Each ceramic Star Trek Geeki Tiki will stand seven to eight inches tall and boast a capacity of approximately 14 ounces. Beeline say they are already planning for more TOS tiki mugs and a new line of Star Trek: The Next Generation ones too. For now you can go to GeekiTikis.com to sign up for the Beeline Creative newsletter and for product alerts, and follow them at @beelinecreativ on Twitter or on Instagram.

Roddenberry are celebrating the 30th anniversary of Star Trek: The Next Generation with a Kataan Probe Pendant from the episode “The Inner Light.” The hand-polished bronze pendant comes with a certificate of authenticity and an eco-friendly textured paper gift box, subtly evocative of the traditional green Ressikan box in which Picard received his flute from the probe. The probe pendant arrives in April and sells for $89.99 (with free shipping) and can be pre-ordered at Entertainment Earth.

Bargains of the Week: Pop Vinyl, ThinkGeek, Amazon, Her Universe

Entertainment Earth is running a sale on Funko Pop Vinyl Figures: if you buy four you get a fifth for free. They sell for $10.99 each. This only covers what they have available now but can be any Pop Vinyl figure and not just Trek. Their currently available figures from Star Trek Beyond include Kirk, Uhura, Scotty, Sulu, Bones,Chekov, Jaylah and Krall.

ThinkGeek has a sale on a Star Trek Schematic Duvet Cover and Pillow Case set featuring the TOS USS Enterprise. At 25% you can pick it up for just $59.99 at ThinkGeek.

Amazon is currently discounting the recently released Star Trek: Deep Space Nine complete series on DVD set by 38%. You can pick it up for $89.96.

Her Universe is having a 15% online sale for all their products, including their line of Star Trek women’s wear. For Star Trek they offer shirts and a “Picardigan.” Check out all the Star Trek items at HerUniverse.com.

Having the expanded 47-track deluxe edition follow so close behind the initial soundtrack release was a pleasant surprise. Varese Sarabande’s previous two expanded releases for Giacchino’s Star Trek soundtracks each took over a year, yet this release came only five months after the 18-track version released in July.

Reviewing the initial soundtrack in July, we noted Michael Giacchino’s latest Star Trek score quickly took its place among his two previous outings. His “Star Trek Main Theme,” first introduced in 2009’s Star Trek, played throughout the film, woven with solemn pieces of music, wistful moments and typical blockbuster fare. However, there were several omissions, including the glaring absence of the revelation of the original crew photo. Fortunately, with over two hours of music on The Deluxe Edition, fans can now own the complete film score.

SPOCK, KIRK AND THE YORKTOWN

Among the new cues are several standout tracks, which alone are worth the price of buying the soundtrack, including “The Dreaded Rear Admiral,” which captures that magical quiet moment as Spock opens the photo among Ambassador Spock’s personal effects. It also features a somber variant of “Night on the Yorktown”, as Admiral Paris congratulates Kirk on his victory and offers him the Vice Admiral post.

“The Dreaded Rear Admiral” is actually a callback to an earlier track, “To Thine Own Death Be True”, when Spock learns of the death of Ambassador Spock, which also combines Kirk’s first meeting with Admiral Paris. Typically, a character’s theme will take its journey musically throughout the film, and the Kirk-Spock cues are also revisited in “Spock’s Vulcan Grip on Death”. It’s a nice piece of music, extended with variations from the earlier cues.

One of the special treats in the release includes the full “Yorktown Theme,” which ties Kirk, Spock and the Yorktown together magnificently. It might be the best piece of overall music from the film. “Yorktown Theme” is a more intimate presentation of “Night on the Yorktown,” capturing the final crew moments of the film. Thematically, the music exquisitely encapsulates the individual journeys Kirk and Spock make from the beginning of the story, all of which is connected to the Yorktown.

JAYLAH

“Jaylah Damage” and “Mocking Jaylah” (from the first soundtrack release) give listeners little pieces of the character, but it’s not until “Bright Light Big Velocity, Part I” that she gets her musical moment to shine. The cue starts with Giacchino’s “Star Trek Theme”, as the Franklin breaks orbit of Altamid, before being replaced with the wonder of Jaylah’s realization she has finally escaped the planet.

Jaylah also provides another exceptional gift to The Deluxe Edition with the inclusion of “Jaylah’s Theme”, a tender piece of music with violins representing the sadness of her story throughout the first 90 seconds of the cue. Giacchino then superbly revisits the hope of a new life from “Bright Lights …”

50 YEARS OF MUSIC

Teasing listeners with small moments from Alexander Courage’s iconic Star Trek theme at the conclusion of the previous two films, Giacchino takes the theme out for a full ride over Beyond’s end title credits. He masterfully incorporates small thematic elements from the film, but only momentarily before coming back to Courage’s theme. It is a pleasant experience listening to such a skillful composer tweak and add a new variation to a piece of music fans have been listening to for over 50 years.

ONE FINAL MISSED MOMENT

Sadly, there is still one disappointment from this release, and that is the exclusion of the Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage.” Considering how integral the song is to Beyond, it is unfortunate that it was not included in either the initial release or The Deluxe Edition.

VERDICT

Overall, Star Trek Beyond might be Giacchino’s best score of the three Star Trek films he has composed. The Deluxe Edition allows fans to appreciate his music to its fullest, while also having the benefit of extended Yorktown and Jaylah themes. Even for fans that purchased the original soundtrack release in July, The Deluxe Edition’s $24.98 retail price makes it a no brainer to buy. However, fans should beware, for as in the case of Varese Sarabande’s previous two expanded editions, Star Trek Beyond: The Deluxe Edition is limited to only 5,000 copies and not available for digital download. Copies of Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness deluxe editions currently fetch upwards of $200 on the secondary market.

While it took the U.S.S. Voyager only seven years to return home after being stranded in the Delta Quadrant, a collection of music from the television show would take a little longer to see the light of day – 16 years to be exact. LaLaLand Records has tabbed Star Trek: Voyager for its latest, and 10th overall, release of music from the Final Frontier with its four-CD collection released on February 28.

The collection includes music from the four composers who produced cues for Voyager during its seven seasons: Dennis McCarthy, Jay Chattway, David Bell and Paul Baillageron. Unlike The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Enterprise (all of which had more than four composers work on the series), the above four were the only ones to produce music for Star Trek’s third spin-off.

Composer Dennis McCarthy

Previous Star Trek series releases from LaLaLand have broken the collections into discs highlighting composers, as well as single disc spotlights on recurring musicians and new recruits. However, since McCarthy (64 episodes), Chattaway (53 episodes), Bell (36 episodes) and Baillageron (17 episodes) are the only four to have worked on Voyager, LaLaLand has packaged this set as single discs focusing on each musician’s work.

There have only been two dedicated soundtrack releases for Voyager up until now – the soundtrack for the series premiere, “Caretaker” by Chattaway, and a separate disc with just Jerry Goldsmith’s “Main Title,” both by GNP Crescendo. Music from “Heroes and Demons” (McCarthy) and “Bride of Chaotica” (Bell) were included on GNP Crescendo’s 1996 Best of Star Trek: 30th Anniversary Collection and 2000’s Best of Volume 2, respectively.

Composer Jay Chattaway

With Voyager, LaLaLand will have released music from all five Star Trek live-action television shows, plus The Animated Series. The company’s nine previous releases include the 15-CD Star Trek TOS Soundtrack Collection, Star Trek: The Motion Picture 3-CD Limited Edition, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier 2-CD Limited Edition, two four-disc collections for both TNG and Enterprise and single volume for DS9. Plans are in the works for at least another volume of DS9 music. LaLaLand capped off Star Trek’s year-long jubilee celebration in 2016 with its 4-CD 50th Anniversary Collection last November.

Garrett Wang as Harry Kim

As with previous LaLaLand releases, the Voyager collection will be limited to only 3,000 units, for a price of $59.98 USD directly from the LaLaLand website.

Click here to buy The Star Trek: Voyager Collection from the LaLaLand website.

Music has been an essential element to the Star Trek franchise during its 50-year history. The melodies, harmonies and orchestrations are as much a part of the final frontier as the characters, ships and ideas. While several companies have published Star Trek soundtracks over the decades, La-La Land has become a leader in unearthing original music from the television series and feature films. Beginning with its expanded release of Jerry Goldsmith’s Star Trek V: The Final Frontier in 2010, La-La Land Records has churned out 9 multi-disc collections, including two in 2016.

Star Trek: Enterprise Collection, Volume 2 was released in the fall and presents eager listeners with previously-unreleased music from 31 episodes, including tracks from “Observer Effect,” “The Aenar,” “Carbon Creek,” “The Forge,” “Acquisition,” and “The Forgotten.” As with its other Star Trek releases, La-La Land breaks up the collection by having each disc represent a different composer or composers.

The two men most responsible for the production of the release are producer Ford Thaxton and art designer Mark Banning. The duo, joined by liner notes author Jeff Bond, have a long partnership in presenting the music of Star Trek to fans. Their love for the franchise is evident in the care and dedication they put into these types of projects.

I’m a little different from people in this field,” Thaxton explained. “I know all these composers and my first prerequisite is to make them look good. I go through the scores and try to find the more interesting cues divorced from the visuals. I take into account what people tend to remember, as well as what might surprise them. I can point to every composer who has worked on the show and has done some wonderful things. Jay Chattaway can do an action cue like no one’s business, Dennis McCarthy just has that wonderful orchestral knack, and David Bell has a marvelous sense of rhythm.

DISC ONE – DENNIS McCARTHY

Thaxton added to his impressive picks from the volume one Enterprise release to capture more essential McCarthy music, including “Breaking the Ice,” “Sleeping Dogs” and “Future Tense.” Listeners should instantly recognize his work, which also hearkens back to his DS9 compositions.

Highlights from McCarthy’s 25 cues covering 11 episodes on disc one include the ethereal “Responsibility” from “Cogenitor” and the haunting “Empty Ship” from “Doctor’s Orders.” “Phlox to the Rescue” from the “Doctor’s Orders” sounds eerily similar to the trailer music for the 2009 J.J. Abrams film (“Freedom Fighters” by Two Steps From Hell). Kevin Kiner is listed a co-composer on four of the episodes, including “Doctor’s Orders” and “Observer Effect.” “More Than Observe/Rules Need to Change” from the latter episode will bring a smile to listener’s face as McCarthy and Kiner include ENT’s theme in this piece of music.

DISC TWO – JAY CHATTAWAY

Beginning with two cues from “Fight or Flight,” which includes the 10-minute track “Aliens Return….” disc two includes seven episodes with 22 cues, including standout music from “Carbon Creek,” which is a treat with its homey feel and is off the beaten path of the normal space-faring adventure tracks he writes for ENT. Thaxton also selected the touching “Father Son Talk 2/Reunion” from “E2,” a soft piece of music when the crew meets their future descendants. Listeners will also find the typical Chattaway cues from episodes like “Divergence,” which will evoke his TNG work.

DISC THREE – THE VETERANS

Featuring returning Star Trek composers David Bell and Paul Baillargeon, disc three highlights contain Bell’s tender “First Dance I Went To” from “Fusion” and the latter’s “Wisps Take Trip” from “The Crossing.” Baillargeon’s cue from this episode should be recognizable to listeners with its recurring somber music for the series. All told, disc three includes seven episodes of music, covering 23 pieces of music (“Fusion” and “Dawn” are Bell’s only contribution).

DISC FOUR – THE NEW RECRUITS

Three composers are featured on disc four, as Thaxton has included music from Brian Tyler, John Frizzell and Velton Ray Bunch. Twenty-six tracks from six episodes are presented on the disc with Tyler and Frizzell represented by one show each and Bunch on the remainder. Music of note includes Tyler’s work on the episode “Canamar,” which at times is presented more like a movie soundtrack than a TV show. Meanwhile, Bunch adds a new dimension to the Ferengi with his whimsical and adventurous take on the episode “Acquisition.”

“I try to go through the material and get it to the point when I think it has something interesting, with a beginning, middle and end.” Thaxton explained about how he selected music for the release. “Basically there’s a process. You have to think about it. You are doing albums for people to listen to. I want to give them material from the show that is interesting. One of the moments I really enjoyed from the release is the cue that had the teaser, ‘Previously on Enterprise’ (Baillargeon’s “Recap” from the episodes “Hatchery” and “The Forgotten”). It has this incredible rhythmic theme to it. I thought to myself, I’m not losing that, it had to stay. It is a lot of fun putting it all together.”

Thaxton also includes little gems like the “Archer’s Theme” and “Where My Heart Will Take Me” bumpers (short thematic music used to transition from the episode to commercials) and “Archer’s Theme – End Credits”, which is used on the show during the end credits, to close out the collection. While the producer’s task seems daunting, the art director faces his own challenges. Banning’s job is to not only design the graphics on the disc, covers and liner notes, but to seek out the best art in which to draw a listener’s eye. Sadly, it has become more difficult to capture those less-seen moments from the show with the availability of so many images on the internet.

“Our basic overall theme for these collector’s boxes has been the main ship for the show,” Banning said. “For this one, I found a nice picture of the NX-01 in dry dock, which was a unique one that we have not seen too much.”

“I hope everyone who gets it enjoys it.” Thaxton finished, “And waits two minutes before saying we left out their favorite cue. Everyone who worked on this gave 100 percent. It’s a lot of fun to do these things. When someone in Dubuque, Iowa plays and enjoys it as just music – that gives me a lot of satisfaction.”

One thing is certain; the collection will leave its listeners wanting to check out episodes of ENT once again, concentrating on the cues included in the collection. Star Trek: Enterprise Collection, Volume 2 is a must for any fan of the music from the series.

Dark and foreboding best describes composer Cliff Eidelman’s unique entry in the Star Trek canon with his score to Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. While not the typical music fans had come to associate with the franchise during its then quarter-century of existence, it still became a favorite of many fans. Its unique, mysterious and poignant tone helped mark the final voyage of The Original Series cast.

Fans and music lovers were finally able to enjoy the full score as it was presented on film with Intrada’s 2012 Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country Expanded Edition two-disc release. More than 22 minutes of new material was made available for this version, doubling the number of tracks from the original soundtrack. Plus, in addition to previously-unreleased material, the soundtrack also includes cues presented in its entirety.

CD Cover

Standout new music includes “Spock’s Wisdom,” “Mind Meld” and “Trailer.” Eidelman captures the character’s gravitas in the solemn “Spock’s Wisdom,” as the Vulcan discusses his and Valeris’ future as members of the Enterprise crew. “Mind Meld” is a terrific piece of music and exemplifies Eidelman’s knack for switching back and forth between menacing and lighter tones. This contrast is served particularly well as it highlights Spock forcibly subjecting Valeris to the intimate ritual of the meld. The “Trailer” release is special as Eidelman actually wrote Star Trek VI’s trailer music; two versions of the cue are available on disc one.

Other new tracks include “Alien Fight,” which beats listeners over the head with its loud and recurring drums as Kirk fights for his life at Rura Penthe. “Dining on Ashes” revisits the poignant yet bittersweet crew theme as Kirk and Spock realize they might have outlived their usefulness.

Interior art – using the early teaser poster design

American Federation of Musician fees have often prevented producers from including a film’s complete score in CD releases, so composers would truncate, combine or use alternate takes to convey the themes from the film for a listener’s pleasure. It is nice to finally have full editions of “The Overture” and “Sign Off,” as well as “The Battle for Peace/The Final Chance for Peace/The Final Count,” which clocks in at 8:15 long.

“Spacedock/Clear All Mooring” and “Escape from Rura Penthe” are identical to the 1991 release and both are terrific pieces of music, now presented along with the film’s complete score on the Expanded Edition. “Spacedock …” is actually the first “hopeful” cue the audience hears in the film as the crew boards the Enterprise for its mission to escort the Klingons. The old gang is here for one last hurrah (although conspicuously missing is Sulu). Despite Star Trek VI’s dark overtures thus far in the film, audience members get the feeling that everything will be all right now that the Enterprise crew is on the job.

Meanwhile, “Escape from Rura Penthe” is one of the film’s best musical moments. Eidelman’s romantic and melancholic composition sweeps across the planet’s snow-covered wasteland, pulling the camera away from the three who dare to challenge the planets harsh environment in a possible futile attempt to escape their life sentences.

With its additional minutes, expanded track listing, alternate takes as well as music being released for the first time in its entirely, Intrada’s Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country’s Expanded Edition two-disc issue is a must for any fan’s collection. To be able to listen to Eidelman’s intended version of the film is a pleasure well-timed for the movie’s silver anniversary in 2016.

*Information for this article was included from Jeff Bond’s liner notes for the Expanded Edition.

]]>https://trekmovie.com/2016/12/08/retro-review-star-trek-vi-the-undiscovered-country-expanded-edition-cd/feed/2INTERVIEW: Composer Cliff Eidelman Looks Back at Star Trek VI 25 Years Laterhttps://trekmovie.com/2016/12/07/interview-composer-cliff-eidelman-looks-back-at-star-trek-vi-25-years-later/
https://trekmovie.com/2016/12/07/interview-composer-cliff-eidelman-looks-back-at-star-trek-vi-25-years-later/#commentsWed, 07 Dec 2016 15:00:27 +0000https://trekmovie.com/?p=45593Cliff Eidelman, the man who composed the score for Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, fondly recalls his experience working on the final Star Trek film to star the entire original cast. We sat down with the composer who discussed his thematic choices for the score, his approach to publishing the original soundtrack, and how he worked with Nicholas Meyer.

2016 has been a banner year for Star Trek anniversary celebrations, with the debut of the franchise 50 years ago the most notable. As the calendar prepares to turn for the new year, there is one more still remaining as Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country celebrates its silver anniversary on December 6.

Reminiscing as if it were yesterday, rather than 25 years ago, Cliff Eidelman picked up the phone with TrekMovie to discuss his scoring Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, collaborating with director Nicholas Meyer and watching Leonard Nimoy smile during one of his scoring sessions.

Emerging as a film composer at the ripe age of 22, Eidelman has scored 30 feature films and HBO movies over his professional 29-year musical journey. Throughout his career, Eidelman has demonstrated the ability to produce dramatic epic scores or light comedy compositions, rising to the occasion for each specific film.

Eidelman was 26 years old when he was tapped to score the final cinematic journey of the original crew of the Enterprise, a fact that was not lost on him. After one meeting with Meyer, he produced the main title cue that was used in the actual film. Like a cadet attempting to impress Captain Kirk to earn an assignment on the Enterprise, Eidelman had to show Meyer, a director with a singular and specific vision, that he had the chops to accomplish the task.

TREKMOVIE: Do you remember how you came to score Star Trek VI?

Cliff Eidelman: I do. I had submitted a tape to the studio as well as to the director, Nicholas Meyer. My agent submitted work I had done from my first three or four movies. Through that I was able to get a meeting with Nick. I was trying to win the job, so at the meeting I offered to write a demo piece based on the script.

Based on our discussion, I went home that night and was inspired by the story of the film and came up with the “Main Title.” I said to Nick, ‘I have the Main Title for the film.’ ‘How do you have the Main Title, we haven’t even started filming it?’ he responded. It did become the “Main Title” for the film.

I knew I was high on their list, but the “Main Title” still did not win the film for me. I went back home and did a spotting session on the script, called him up and told him I thought I knew where all the music should start and stop. He said to send it over to him. I put my notes on the script, and he sent me back his notes as he meticulously went over what I wrote.

One other component that helped me get the job was that each composer sent in a submission. Ron Roose was the editor, and he and Nick were a team. Whatever tape Nick got, he gave a copy to Ron. They both came back with my tape as their number one choice. All those factors helped me secure the job.

TM: Were you daunted by the task of following the likes of Jerry Goldsmith and James Horner?

CE: It was a Star Trek movie. How could you not want to do that? I think it helped that I was young and new to the industry. Meeting with the director inspired me, and put me at ease. Although there were fantastic scores to the previous movies, he told me I did not need to follow in those footsteps, especially since it was so much different than the previous five. It had a different feel to it. He gave me the latitude to explore new territory for the film, and created a lot of liberty for me. I was able to approach it the way that it felt right for me.

There is a risk of feeling the history that came before. In this particular situation, I didn’t feel that at all, partly because I was so young. I was just inspired to work 10 hours a day and create an original score.

TM: Your Star Trek VI score was darker than any of the previous scores. Was that a conscious choice on your part or something that came out of your discussions with Nick Meyer?

CE: The film demanded it. It’s very possible to have written a score that sounded like one of the earlier films, but it would not have worked. This film had a darker and mysterious tone, plus all of the Shakespearean references. The Christopher Plummer performance was so strong, that it brought out things in me. Combine that with my meeting with Nick, who said you can be darker and mysterious and that I did not have to go to the previous scores. He was asking me to go someplace new, which really felt comfortable being able to go off in my own direction. Looking back, I think that was a good choice. Jerry Goldsmith is a fantastically gifted composer, no reason to do him, because you can’t do him better than he does him, so I preferred to just do me.

Cliff Eidelman next to Star Trek VI marquee on December 6, 1991

TM: Considering how different the score was from any of the previous Star Trek films, what made you decide to use the original cue at the end?

CE: I wanted to sign off the original crew musically. That was the most fun for me, as young as I was, signing off this crew. I knew it had to be a piece of music that culminated 25 years of history, but also felt fresh, as well as call back to Alexander Courage’s theme. It was a nice punctuation point from where it started to the end.

I got to make the conclusion with my theme, but it was also important to look back where it all started. I was able to make my full statement, with my music playing for two and a half minutes, and then say this is where it all started. Plus, right after I was able to go into an entire end-credit suite.

Back then, on opening weekend I went to see it in a big theater in Los Angeles. The line wrapped around the block and nobody knew who I was. I was in the theatre watching the film like everyone else. At the very end, the “Sign Off” happens and everyone goes crazy. Then the end credits started, which were six and a half minutes. By the end of the credits, three quarters of the theater were still there listening to it – that made me feel so good.

TM: Do you have a particular cue from the film that is your favorite?

CE:I would say there are a few that jump out at me. One, of course, is the “Main Title.” Others would be “Rura Penthe” and “Escape from Rura Penthe,” just because of all the exotic percussion I was able to bring in from around the world. Plus, I was able to let the orchestra soar at the ending of “Escape from Rura Penthe.” It starts off so lonely and desolate, and ultimately when you see the majesty of those cliffs, I had to open up the orchestra. “The Battle for Peace” was another, and of course, I really liked the “Sign Off.”

TM: How often did you go to the set while they were filming?

CE: I remember being on set during one of the Gorkon scenes where he had been shot. Also, I was there the day they had one of the Federation meetings, where they were talking about the mission at hand. I showed a few times for pick up shots. In filming a movie, everything is done in these small little bits. It was really fun to go to that set.

TM: Any anecdotes you remember from scoring the film?

CE: There was a really nice moment when I came off the podium and walked into the control room. Leonard Nimoy was sitting in there with a smile on his face. I could tell he was enjoying the music. I also enjoyed the performance from the players. One thing that really stood out was when one of the bass singers in the choir wanted clarity from me as to the correct pronunciation for one of the Klingon texts. He auditioned for me two different pronunciations for the Klingon translation of “To be or not to be.” It just sounded funny from my point of view as the conductor to hear this perfectly trained singer, singing in the language of Klingon.

Of all the moments, the greatest was when I got the phone call from Paramount telling me I got the job. That was the greatest moment for me.

TM: What stands out most to you about The Undiscovered Country as it celebrates its 25th anniversary?

CE: Star Trek VI dealt with the Cold War. I felt that was a very important story to tell. The way it was told was a very significant story of peace and trying to get along, past our differences and find common ground. In the end when the Klingons and Federation come together, they look at each other and realize they don’t have to be enemies.

TM: Star Trek fans are tough critics. However, your score is one of the favorites. Does that make you feel good knowing they responded to what you produced?

CE: Absolutely. I read a lot of the reviews. It means a great deal to me because it means I spoke to someone in a positive way. To be recognized by the fans in a positive way is an absolute treat. I soak it up.

I sometimes think to myself if I were to put together a Star Trek VI concert, would those fans show up and hear it? Maybe one day I will try to do something like that.

TM: What was your role for the original soundtrack release in 1991?

CE: I was given guidelines for 45 minutes max. I would have rather it be an hour, but could only do 45 minutes due to union reuse. I used as much of the score as I could. I choose the pieces in the order I thought would work best, which is the job of the producer, which I was. I decided on the order, combined cues, and edited the length; because when you are in a listening environment it’s a more effective build. You have to take in consideration that listeners of the soundtrack are not watching the film. If there is a lot of slow music, you don’t want to follow with more. You want to make it dynamic for the listener, and part of that is creating a new build, a structure that stands on its own as a soundtrack.

Taking it out of the film and placing it in the soundtrack environment is like building a symphony; now you have to engage the listener. I always like to try to follow somewhat the sequence of the story, so it tells the story. Very often, I would get very close to the sequence and change it a little bit. I would not put “End Credits” or “The Battle for Peace” at the beginning, that way you still get to experience the film, but not to the detriment of the listening experience.

TM: How do you decide what cues to include when you have a time limit?

CE: Let’s say there was a repeat that duplicates the same idea, I don’t really need that. That’s a variation, I like it, but I am already saying it in this piece in a more powerful way. I usually put all of my favorite and most important pieces in front of me first, look at what’s left and decide what needs to be included. After that, I start sequencing and put it together. There might be a 1:20 piece that cuts nicely into another piece and you can combine them.

TM: Was there anything you did not get to include on the original release?

CE: No. It would have been nice to put the “Trailer” on there, but that was covered in the “Main Title”, “The Battle for Peace” and “Escape from Rura Penthe.” So I didn’t feel too bad about it.

TM: Did you have any input on intrada’s 2012 expanded release of the soundtrack?

CE: I did have some involvement with that. I gave them the “Trailer”, for which I still had the reel-to-reel. I sent over all of the DATs (digital audio tape) that had all of the extra cues, so they were able to include them. They were also hoping to put in some of the demos, but they were long gone. It was nice being able to put it all out there. There is not a wasted note. I hope it always stays available.

TM: Did you actually score the trailer music?

CE: I had a special session just for that, which is very unusual. It was a chance for me to see how the “Main Title” played with the orchestra. It had some of the “Main Title” and “The Battle for Peace” material in it, and also had what I would call the “Spock” theme. Overall, the “Trailer” had a mix of three or four themes. It was a great opportunity to try it out and see how everyone responded. Nick was there for the session, which was unusual to have the filmmakers come into be a part of the trailer session.

If composers had an opportunity to do the trailer, it would provide them a great opportunity to try things out. It’s a little different because you have to say everything in a short amount of time, pump up the energy more so, and excite the crowd in a minute and a half or less.

TM: What did Star Trek VI mean to you and your career?

CE: Pride and a sense of accomplishment having done that. I worked so extensively on it, it represents a time that I put as much into as I could. When I was finally done with it, I felt it was the best I could have done. I felt like I accomplished what I set out to do.

The truth is, on every film, I work as hard as I can. But there is something to be said working on Star Trek. It’s writing a space opera. I was even able to do some Klingon language in my score. By and large, it is an epic style film with an epic score. In the end, the music is an important part of the film. With other films, like romance, comedy and drama, music does not play the same role. It has to be understated; it’s there but you do not bring so much attention to it. Star Trek is not like that, so it’s really fun.

TM: Were you a Star Trek fan before scoring the film?

CE: When I was a kid I remember watching The Original Series on television. I would not call myself a huge fan, but remember enjoying it. I remembered being frightened of Spock because of the ears.

For me, my Star Trek experience was the film. It didn’t turn me into anything beyond that. I felt so fortunate to do that film; it was such a well-directed, written and acted film, it made me appreciate it all the more.

TM: Any last thoughts about your contribution to the Star Trek saga?

CE: I would say having been a part of the last film with the original cast gives me a sense of pride – to be a part of something that’s lasted this long. What, if anything, lasts 50 years? There is nothing like this, Star Trek is like a classical piece of music that continues onward. Whenever I do an interview, inevitably that score comes up as an important part of the interview.

Check out Intrada’s website for the expanded 2012 Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country score. And, check out Cliff Eidelman’s discography on his website.

Unenviable is the task for any film composer assigned with scoring the latest Star Trek voyage into the Final Frontier. Following Jerry Goldsmith’s iconic score and James Horner’s game-changing melodies, it was impressive to see Michael Giacchino uniquely make his mark on the then 43-year old franchise in 2009. Granted, the film composer benefited from the story being set in a new universe, but Giacchino established himself admirably among the pantheon of Star Trek musicians. The question awaiting fans was, what will he do the third time out?

“That’s the spirit, Bones.”

Commencing with his now familiar introduction to all of his Star Trek films, Star Trek Beyond moves quickly from his traditional cue into the heart of the film’s theme, as Kirk questions the monotony of day-to-day “episodic” adventures and more specifically, his own purpose, during the Enterprise’s five-year mission. The poignancy at the end of “Logo and Prosper” is only matched by the soft piano in “Thank Your Lucky Star Date”. This latter cue will serve to emphasize Giacchino’s now-familiar theme of his Star Trek as his Kelvin Timeline music is woven into the very fabric of his Star Trek Beyond score, especially when representing the crew.

Distinctive music like “Labor of Love” and “Enterprising Young Men” from Star Trek and “London Calling” from Star Trek Into Darkness might feel missing, although it could be due to the overall wistful themes assigned to Kirk. Honestly, those pieces only really bookend the movie (a more uplifting sounding “Par-Tay for the Course”), but it is difficult not to be lulled into a more contemplative place when considering the impact of the soundtrack, especially considering how they open and close the film. Previous outings have jumped right into the action, allowing for the earlier softer melodies to leave much more of an impact with the audience.

Giacchino has written both elegant and epic music, including “Night on the Yorktown”, a beautiful melody that reinforces the ideas of life in the Federation that has now clearly been established in these J.J. Abrams films, and “The Dance of the Nebula”. His music for Krall’s swarm might sound familiar, but the final 20-seconds of “Cater-Krall in Zero G” is a haunting piece of music as the film’s antagonist meets his demise. Additionally, although it starts like a film-sounding trope and tonally like something out of John Williams’ Star Wars, “Jaylah Damage” quickly recalls the familiarity Giacchino has established in all of his Star Trek films. That theme continues in “Mocking Jaylah”, during her climactic one-on-one fight with Manas, all the while with a primitive beat that drapes itself over everything.

Omissions will always occur on commercial soundtrack releases and Star Trek Beyond is not immune to these issues, especially leaving out the quietness of Spock opening Ambassador Spock’s personal effects and discovering a certain photo that should bring a smile to the heart of every Star Trek fan. Sadly, even in the film, this moment seemed to be a lost opportunity musically, however it is hard to argue with Giacchino’s choices when it comes to the themes and cues he has written for this new timeline.

While the Star Trek Beyond score can sometimes feel overwhelmed by so many callbacks to his previous theme established in his first Final Frontier outing as well as its more contemplative theme, it should be one that fans will listen to over and over, quickly taking its place next to all of Giacchino’s Star Trek music. Scoring a Star Trek film can seem like a thankless job. However, even the less-received films in the oeuvre have left behind a distinctive mark when it comes to its music. Luckily for Giacchino, both the film and his music should quickly earn its place in the franchise’s 50-year history.

]]>https://trekmovie.com/2016/08/23/soundtrack-review-star-trek-beyond/feed/80Rihanna single part of Beyond soundtrackhttps://trekmovie.com/2016/06/24/rihanna-single-part-of-beyond-soundtrack/
https://trekmovie.com/2016/06/24/rihanna-single-part-of-beyond-soundtrack/#commentsFri, 24 Jun 2016 19:00:49 +0000https://trekmovie.com/?p=42200Rihanna fan sites are abuzz this morning with the news that the pop star is contributing a single called “Sledgehammer” to the Star Trek Beyond soundtrack, a first for the franchise. We’ve heard songs in the movies before (The Beastie Boys, Steppenwolf) but this is the first time a pop song has been officially a soundtrack single.

And who better than Rihanna? An avowed Star Trek fan, she collaborated with Dior last month on a line of “futuristic, reflective” sunglasses, inspired by Geordi La Forge’s VISOR. They range in price from $840 to $1950, so they’re not for the uncommitted. “I’ve always been obsessed with his eyewear, and when I got to Dior and saw all the materials I could play with, it all just came together,” she told Women’s Wear Daily.

She was also a famous face that popped up on the screen giving Trek some love, during the Beyond fan event last month (her segment starts at about 0:39).

Rihanna’s been talking about “Sledgehammer” since 2014, but the song is making its debut on the Beyond soundtrack. Eagle-eyed fans spotted it in a banner ad on iTunes last night, and the news has been making its way across Twitter and Instagram all morning.

The song is expected to appear during the movie’s end credits; no date on when it’ll be available to download, but we’ll keep you posted.

]]>https://trekmovie.com/2016/06/24/rihanna-single-part-of-beyond-soundtrack/feed/89Beyond soundtrack pre-order shows track titleshttps://trekmovie.com/2016/06/22/beyond-soundtrack-pre-order-shows-track-tites/
https://trekmovie.com/2016/06/22/beyond-soundtrack-pre-order-shows-track-tites/#commentsThu, 23 Jun 2016 02:15:42 +0000https://trekmovie.com/?p=42185The Star Trek Beyond soundtrack is available on Amazon for pre-order, which means the track titles are out there for everyone to start speculating on.

Composer Michael Giacchino has been great about posting musical updates on Twitter and Instagram, and on June 8th, posted a video to let us know they’d wrapped up recording. Read on for the video and potential spoiler track titles.

Now you can get a look at the full track list. For those who don’t want to know anything about the movie, stop reading now.

For everyone else, you’re now entering spoiler territory. While Giacchino is known for giving his pieces quirky, silly names so as not to reveal anything, the titles could hint at a few things we haven’t seen in the trailers or read about yet.